Meat holding method



C. C. SMITH July 5, 1932 Filed Aug. 16', 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 IIII \L jul; 5r, 1932-/ c. sMlTl-l 1,866,508 Y* MEAT HOLDING METHOD Filed Aug. 16. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pmnaduuly 5, 1932 UNITED STATES DELAWARE PATENT OFFICE OEOII.' c. sMITH, OFcIIIcAGO, ILLINOIs,.AssIeNon, Er MEsNE assIenMENTs, TO nUsTnmI. PATENTS CORPORATION, 4OE OHIGAGO, ILLINOIS, a CORPORATION or MEAT HOLDING MET'HOn Application lcd August 16, 1929. Serial No. 386,423.

This invention relates to the meat packing industry and especially to methods for the treatment of animal bellies or bacon. When bellies or slabs of bacon are smoked there is a tendency for the lean side to contra/ct, especially when skinned bellies are used, causing the belly to warp or curl. As aresult of such curlin the appearance is less attractive, thev slabs o not pack well, and moreover 1 the bacon does not slice so well, especially in a machine, as when the slab lies ilat. l

lVhile there is some advantage in holding the meat iat while being smoked, the most important consideration is to have it iiat when ready for the market or for storage. Furthermore, holding it flat in the smoke house requires a. much larger stock of resary for mere subsequent straightening. It is best-for market reasons also to minimize or avoid holder marks on the finished product.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a simple and effective method for straightening or flattening out meat and especially bellies or slabs of bacon after being smoked; to provide for holding such a slab lat while it is beingr sliced or until it has time to chill and'become set in flat condition,

so that it may be packed or exhibited in this.

form, and may lie flat reely in a slicing machine after such straighf ening; to provide for this with the least possible or Vno sign of holder marks and to provide a method adapted to hold the baconlat and without ma terial interference with the smoking operation while it is being smoked and while being subsequently chilled.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which -Figure 1 is a perspective view of a slab of skinned bacon straightened out fiat and so held by means of a plurality of clamps or holders.

Fi. 2 is an end view of a slab of bacon'z.. showing its natural curled shape as it comes i Slab lslrthleby attnd. Ollt and Sopheld 11.111311 from the smoke house, when no means have v ltS Sets-1H 't-hlS fofmwmll@ Clamps @filmen removediandffthe lbacon packed for storage orl itl be sliced-immediately. jl

been used to hold it flat; v

Fig. 3 is an end View illustrating how such open. straining'or flattening means than is neces- A7 in Vits closedv position with the two slabs vhouse when the clamps are in place during the smoking.

Fig. 4 is an end 'View of a clamp such `as those shown in Fig. l, the view being as fromy the right end of Figf.` Y

- Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a clampwith a slab .of curled 'bacon in place, as shownby dotted lines; ready to be straightened out;

Fig. Gis a somewhat similar view but with the clamp .set rand with .the bacon held straight, as in Fig. l.. r I

Fig. 7 is a perspective view ofa meat hold'erfadapted for ,practicing the method. of thisy invention, the holder being shown Fig. Sis an end view of the device of Fig.

of. bacon in place. v

In the construction shown in the drawings, Figs. `1 to 6, the clamp or clip is made of No. 8 gauge tinned and tempered steel wire and somewhatresemblesv a large saety pin. I

find that this clamp can berreadily made by bending the wire'over 'a form. The device comprlses alstraight yback l with end pieces 2 and .3 at r1ght-angles thereto, the swinging farm orpin part lf'beingsubstantially an `mental hook6 to receive the, free end 7 of ythe pin arm 4 when the clamp is set as.i llus` trate-d in Figures .4 and 6.

i In practicing this method on smoked meat the. clamps `Yare kopened andv slipped .on over lthe ends oiia belly vor slabof bacon `8, with ,i

theback l which constitutesastraight form against the .concavelean :side and with ,the

resilient bar 44 `againstthe "convex,v fat side to apply and maintaina constant holding pressure thereon.v `When the clamps are thus applied with,ftlneftip,y 7 he1d by theeafhe the i the bacon may be sliced as soon as the clamps are applied.`

When these clamps are used in the smoke house they are applied atlonce to the unsmoked bellies, the appearance being as 1n Figslfyandl. Later, when thcgneat v1s removed' `rfromthe s'i'oke hoiise'fthefgclamps 'are left on untilthe meat has been chilled and so set flat, ready for market, slicing or' storage. Holder 9, shown' by Figures and'l 8,"1isv-JI "a double holder coniprisingacentral frame and a pair of outer frames 11 hinged at 12 to the lower edge of frame 10. the".

outer frames 11 are closed againstthemiddle frame 10, they are lockednplaceby fasten-ff l ersll .which may be, inethe form ,of hooks.

l.The,middlefra-I'I'1e is providedcentrallyvvith an;upward handle orf lopl ',tqfaciltat "handling and to permit hangingthe,holdei` i :inthe smokehouse orelsewhere;y The`part @lOvfcomprisfes arectangul'ar :ramehaving lthe concave sldezof thejslabsfand; maintain.- 1 ing ayieldable pressurec-againstrthe convex sides of the said slabs, and then causing the slabs tfbecome fixed intheir orginal planar form.

" "'Signed'a`t Chicago this 10th day of August, l1192?;

g GEoIL c. SMITH.I

Cross bars 15 disposedwithrheinthingedges ,towardfthe bacon'.` In a somevvhat similar manner, the'outer frames `1:1 ,have cross bars A I V16 to bear against the outer sides l-ofthe bacon.

Side bars 16. preferably/.being resilient 1 and `normallycurved inward somewhat centrally,

so that when slabs of bacon are placed inthe Y. :holder with .the convex faces` disposedeoutfvvardly the holder 9 willfserve eiectually ,to

fia'ttenthe baconV and so hold itfu'ntil vit. sets. i.

The slab of bacon when removed from the pickle bath, ypreparatory to smoking, assumes l `a substantially planarbrfat vposition 0.1'

form; and by reason ofthe high moisture content absorbed from the'pickle'bath tends,

upon being subjected tov smoking action, to vcurve, slnce the inner or ileshyside, having a considerable proportion ofleanorjlnon- ,fatty tissue, `dehydrates `from lthe action of x, i

'theheat inthe sinokehouse andL shrinks'on V the outer surface. Bacon slabs treated by 311 my methodl are mechanically prevented from sets,l and no longer exhibits any substantial tendency to change .its shape.

fsodistorting since, after chilling, thegineat I. i'

- f The results from following the method and 'v using these clampsare that the meat packs` Ibetter for storage and shipment; it looks f .n eater and `more attractiveonsale; the'belly v lles more evenly on the; -tableothe slicing.` .o

thanwhen badly warped or curved-,and

"machine,V presenting lessplayfwhile v'slicing .f i

suring more uniformsli'ces. Another and fmost important result is that the slices from a stralghtened-belly presenta-far better apy 'pears/nce than do those fromv belliesc-urved atyarying degrees, especially in .the visible 'f 4'1 Apackages now extensively used.

i .Although but twg Specific embodiientsfof 1 holders are herein shown .andxdescribed, it

lis tobe understoodthat someofthedetails of the constructions shownand of the process 'described maybe altered or omitted-without A.; j f l, 

